what we do

Thread Climbing is a premier resource for sales and distribution of indoor climbing holds and gym padding.

Knowledgeable, comprehensive and effective, our focus on refined product quality, attention to detail, and top notch communication is exemplified in the brands we represent.  We are proud to showcase innovative products, working with climbing gyms throughout North America.  We strive to be the most approachable and professional authority in the climbing wall industry, with comprehensive knowledge of history, trends and market insights.

who we are

Above all else we are climbers and routesetters, at our core, passionate about holds and volumes.  Shapes, grips, textures, detail… we live for this stuff and we are proud to represent some of the best brands in the world. 

A smart owner of a climbing hold brand we work with once said, “it’s easy to make climbing holds, it’s hard to make a brand.”  We have never been interested in selling anything and everything, but only companies that exhibit and share our passion for movement, shapes, and authenticity. 

Thread’s routesetting expertise and climbing background coupled with innovative work in competition organization and federation work make us one of the most experienced teams in competition climbing around the world.

Thread is dedicated to excellence and integrity in pursuit of climbing world endeavors we are passionate about. We love climbing, old and new, plastic and rock, gyms and comps. We do the business of climbing and strive to do it the best it can be done, offering creative products and solutions from experience, with the customer or client’s goals as the focus. And without the personal connections, the fun, learning, creativity, and thoughtful problem-solving, there’s no point.

Those elements of work life in climbing are what it’s all about for us. For over 13 years we have cultivated Thread’s partnerships with the companies we represent not only because of the products but the people behind those brands. And in working with individuals at climbing walls and organizations all over N. America and beyond, we stay constantly motivated by the same goal we all share - create and provide the best climbing experiences we can.

Thread’s depth in the competition routesetting world is unparalleled; Chris and Brad bring together decades of climbing experience from different pathways.

We see competition climbing as an invigorating force, constantly breathing energy into climbers, the gym industry and the broader climbing community. As the comp environment breeds the excitement of newness and doubt, it fosters young athletes to push themselves - different than in the outdoors - but still in uniquely inspiring ways. And competition routesetting is the special craft that fuels it all. The unknowns of trying to gauge what will happen in the field of play we create, plus the emotional energy of athletes sparking with an audience, are the perfect cocktail for obsessed creative problem-solvers.

And this is what Thread Climbing is all about… presenting and considering diverse ideas, assessing all the possibilities, finding solutions, and all the while driven by a fundamental passion for climbing movement. This is the constant.

Working at the highest level of international events, developing professional standards, exploring new ideas, climbing in new areas, we are always exploring what’s next:

Introducing the 100-point scoring system at Stone Gardens’ classic Seattle Bouldering Challenge then bringing it to life around the world with USA Climbing; Organizing a unique team invitational at Sender One’s Grand Opening; developing the first adult US National Team Training Camp; Creating boulders, from decade-old, still unclimbed problems on the renowned CATS training wall, to the adidas ROCKSTARS and IFSC World Cups; Traveling the world to see new rock and to visit infamous climbs.

And staring at climbing walls filled with holds, visualizing, mentally refining the possibilities… we love it all and we’re up for everything.

Beyond competition routesetting work, we are committed to facilitating the development of others in the comp and gym climbing realms in a way that fosters progress of the sport while remaining rooted in climbing spirit and community. Having been leaders in the mentorship of routesetters, we’re of the mindset that there’s never just one answer in climbing, nor in routesetting and there are often more, and better, questions, than there are definitive answers. Underlying the creativity and unknowns in routesetting and climbing, there is also a wealth of knowledge and cultivated instinct to engage with and learn from. From the technical aspects of movement, having an empathetic approach, and the more structure-oriented skills of organization, management, communication and leadership, Thread brings a unique approach.

In workshops and clinics, competition setting and consultations, decades of experience frame opportunities for routesetters to explore and grow, and for organizations to better engage with the craft and their community of routesetters.

Having driven the educational model for competition routesetters in the US, the tiered structure that the USAC organization utilizes, and fostering commercial routesetting development and youth competition climber development congruently, we have been at the forefront of structured mentorship in the community. Developing educational and training models, creating opportunities for young climbing professionals, and thoughtfully working behind the scenes as competition climbing evolves, we are passionate about helping others learn and learning from others.